Bengaluru, Dec 9: A fake government secretary fled with Rs 20 lakh after promising jobs and insurance payouts to seven members of a women’s self-help group, police said.
M C Nagaraj, the alleged conman, was introduced to the president of the self-help group by Jagadish, a nephew of Vadnal Rajanna, a two-time Congress MLA from Channagiri, Davangere district.
Police said Jagadish told the group’s 32-year-old president that Nagaraj would help them in “every possible way”.
Sometime later, Nagaraj called the group president and introduced himself as Gangadhar. Claiming to be a secretary in the Vidhana Soudha, Nagaraj allegedly promised each member of the group Rs 8 lakh.
There was a catch, however. The group was asked to pay Rs 20 lakh so that other officials could be bribed. Nagaraj was so persistent that he wanted the money within 24 hours.
The group accepted the offer, borrowed money from relatives and friends and deposited it in different bank accounts given by Nagaraj.
They didn’t hear from Nagaraj for the next 10 days, and his mobile phone was switched off. The group then filed a complaint with Hebbal police, naming both Nagaraj and Jagadish.
The Hebbal police inspector said an FIR had been registered as per a Supreme Court directive and that the case would be transferred to the jurisdictional police station in Davangere district. Police invoked IPC sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 418 (cheating with the knowledge that wrongful loss may ensue to person whose interest offender is bound to protect) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
Police said the duo had cheated many others by promising them jobs and plots of land.
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